I am going to write a few articles on how to identify good service provision, the first is on the vital role played through individualised job search – looking for a position that is tailored to the wishes, interests and ability of the person for whom employment is being sought.
Many years ago a chap called Marc Gold (now sadly departed) studied what worked, and what didn’t work, for people with disability when it came to the LONG TERM retention of employment.
Long term is really important for a whole variety of reasons and it has always been my belief that ‘long term’ starts after 12 months. Mr Gold however, believed that it was at least 6 months after the end of any subsidy. In other words - for both of us - time counts after the person is clearly able to demonstrate they are able to hold down their job when the employer has to carry their cost without incentive or subsidy (just like everybody else).
Mr Gold also showed that if you went out and looked for jobs then tried to find a person to suit about 50% of all placements would fall over within the 6 months post subsidy.
However, if you went out to look for a job that matched the needs, aspiration and ability of the person you were trying to find work for, all other things being equal, the percentage still in employment rose to >80%.
It is a simple fact that for every sample that NOVA has since taken, these percentages remain more or less accurate.
It also takes longer and costs more to seek a job that matches than it does to run through a drawer of potential candidates and grab best fit.
So here’s the sum: Match the job to the person and take more time but get better long term retention or place more people into work and accept that a larger percentage will fail.
NOVA takes the first position for reasons other than those stated above. We use individualised job search because the cost in terms of emotional suffering and the damage caused by repeated job loss are simply too high.
The markers of excellence used by the Commonwealth have only just begun to recognise long term job retention as an indicator of quality. Many of the organisations that would have shone under this criterion are no longer with us – replaced by programs that buy subsidised short term figures, numbers that are winked at because they boost ‘participation’.
People with disability are playing on a pitch that’s tilted against them, they don’t need additional disadvantage and the risk of being blamed for job loss when in fact the set-up was just that are simply too high.
Whenever NOVA fails (and sadly sometimes we do) we hold an inquest to find out why – a poor match between aspiration, ability and opportunity is frequently a common denominator for lack of success.
Ask your service provider to tell you on average how long their workers remain in employment and do they seek new jobs specifically for you or are jobs sought than a best-fit model applied? Does your service provider learn about skills and interests then match these to the most suitable job?
Would you like a face-to-face meeting with Martin via Skype? Click the button below to make an appointment
Subscribe to this Blog - blog.novaemployment.com.au Copy the link above and paste it into your favourite Reader to subscribe to an RSS feed of this blog. To watch a short video explanation of RSS and how it helps you save time reading the web click here
Your Comments There are currently no comments on this article
Previous Posts
Goodness me!
Goodness me!
Read this article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/no-lights-no-linen-how-alex-survived-for-six-years-on-newstart-20190717-p5284q....
Changing Attitudes
One of the hardest things to do is change a person's attitude - if they are favourably disposed to you, all's well and good - if someone holds a contrary view it's an uphill battle to change a mindset....
Retention Retention, Retention!
Just when you thought things couldn't get any better, something comes along that causes you to stop and to reconsider the way your business is conducted....
Properly Caring
Much is made about the easy life enjoyed by people on welfare - we've all seen the 'news' items that show flagrant abuse of the system with welfare recipients engaged in employment or other activities that conflict with the obligation to inform Centrelink of change in status or simply as a means of defrauding the Commonwealth....
2 Things
2 Things:
First:
About the middle of February I wrote: i. "NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
We're struggling!
NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
Extraordinary Results
When Government Star Ratings seem designed to celebrate the ordinary, it is a pleasure to be able to share a terrific piece of selfless effort on behalf of others....
Whats wrong with Employment Services II? What's wrong with Employment Services II
My mum used to frequently admonish my brothers and I with the words, 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'....
Whats wrong with Employment Services? There's rumours of a shake-up in the Job Active program - word is, the program isn't making a real difference and employers don't like it!
There's plenty of evidence to suggest that, despite the best intent of Government and funding body, the Disability Employment Service (DES) is similarly in the doldrums....
I need you! Comrades
NOVA needs you - we are very keen to enlist new members of our organisation.
Here's what you need: the patience of Job, the strength of the Hulk, the wisdom of Solomon and a selfless devotion caring for the needs of others worthy of Mother Teresa....
Tragic Loss People with Disability lost a true champion last Wednesday with the unexpected passing of a truly great man, the Chief Executive Officer of Inclusion Australia and a dear friend Mr Paul Cain....
Fair Warning
I'm giving fair warning of my intention to expose examples of the current DES-ESS contract's exploitation.
I have written to the Commonwealth expressing my concerns about clear manipulation of the present contract....
Fundamentals
The new contract for Disability Employment Services (DES) will not bring performance improvement.
Government will scratch it's head, blame the economy, blame people with disability, talk about educating employers and spend money on consultations before coming to the conclusion that people with disability must meet more stringent 'mutual obligations'....
100%
Each year, around about the International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD) NOVA Employment holds a formal graduation for students that have participated in our pre-employment programs....
Profiting from poverty
Profiting from Poverty
I am genuinely horrified by this disaster: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/02/the-demerit-system-is-ruthless-social-policy-designed-to-keep-the-poor-powerless
I believe that we presently represent the job hopes of around 1500 people, in various stages of their progression to independent employment....
New Contract but no change!
New Contract but no change!
Today marks the first day of a new Disability Employment Service (DES) contract.
There are new players and new rules....
Administrative Overload
'It's nice to be busy' and 'busy is better than idle' and all of my mum's other sayings about work being good for you, and all of them said; we're drowning!
The administrative burden of a new Disability Employment Service contract (starts July 1st) and the mountains of paperwork required for an NDIS dollar (approximately 10X that of the former TTW program) has seen us add 3 extra staff to the admin team and we are still receiving a large volume of enquiries that are causing us some time delay in getting back to folk....
Podcasts I've been learning all about Podcasts (I suspect that this may be a long road!)
However, getting paid to be inspired is not the worst way to spend a Monday afternoon and that is just how my day has gone....
Lucky Lucky
I am truly fortunate to work with the very best people in this great nation and we are truly lucky to be part of the best short film festival this side of anywhere!
"Focusonability" voting starts today and there is an even larger number of films (287) than last year....
On the money Sometime over the next week a new Disability Employment Service contract will be announced.
We are moving into a new world of greater consumer choice and greater mobility of job seekers....
Subscribe to this Blog